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Russia condemns US airstrikes on Syria as world reacts

The ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has slammed the US for its joint airstrikes in Syria, as has Iran. Though the UN called on participants in the regional conflict to show restraint, others welcomed the strike.

While the airstrikes have raised international alarm over a possible escalation of regional military conflict, some Middle Eastern nations, as well as international organizations, voiced their support for the US-led air action.

As a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia slammed the joint strikes in the hours following the attacks.

In a Saturday morning statement, the Kremlin strongly expressed its disapproval: "Russia severely condemns the attack on Syria where Russian military are helping the lawful government in the fight with terrorism."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the attacks would only aggravate the humanitarian situation in the war-torn Middle Eastern nation. He also reiterated calls by other Russian officials for a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

A French fighter jet prepares to land at a British base in Cyprus, one day after France joined the US and UK in airstrikes in Syria

Russia, France, the UK and the US are all permanent members of the Council, along with China.

The Russian government's response came after the Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, warned that the airstrikes "will not be left without consequences."

The Russian government described the decision by the US, the UK and France to target military and research sites in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack as a violation of international law.

Konstantin Kosachev, head of the Russian Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, said the airstrikes in Syria were "an attack on a sovereign state without an underlying basis."

On Saturday, Kosachev also criticized the timing of joint airstrikes in Syria, accusing the US, France and the UK of hindering the investigation by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that was slated to begin this weekend.

Konstantin Kosachev on Conflict Zone

Konstantin Kosachev on Conflict Zone

In keeping with its backer, Russia, the Assad government described the joint airstrikes as "a flagrant violation of international law, a breach of the international community's will."

The Syrian Foreign Ministry denounced the action as "brutal, barbaric aggression" and said it was an attempt to hinder the OPCW's work and pre-empt its results, Syrian state media reported.

Iran: 'Adventurist action'

The Islamic Republic joins its fellow Assad supporter, Russia, in criticizing the timing of the US-led attack.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, described the airstrikes as a "crime" in remarks published over the Telegram social messaging service. He added that, "The American president, the French president and the British prime minister are criminals."

Iran's Foreign Ministry also issued a statement.

"The United States and its allies have no proof and, without even waiting for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to take a position, have carried out this military attack," the ministry said. It added that while Iran opposes the use of chemical weapons, it "strongly condemns [using this] as an excuse to commit aggression against a sovereign state."

The ministry warned of "regional consequences of this adventurist action" and said that the involved Western nations would be responsible.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

War with no end

Syria has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2011 after Syrian President Bashar Assad lost control over large parts of the country to multiple revolutionary groups. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and brought misery and death to Syrians.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The dictator

Syria's army, officially known as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), is loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is fighting to restore the president's rule over the entire country. The SAA has been fighting alongside a number of pro-Assad militias such as the National Defense Force and has cooperated with military advisors from Russia and Iran, which back Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The northern watchman

Turkey, which is also part of the US-led coalition against IS, has actively supported rebels opposed to Assad. It has a tense relationship with its American allies over US cooperation with Kurdish fighters, who Ankara says are linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting in Turkey. The Turkish military has intervened alongside rebels in northern Aleppo, Afrin and Idlib province.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The eastern guardian

The Kremlin has proven to be a powerful friend to Assad. Russian air power and ground troops officially joined the fight in September 2015 after years of supplying the Syrian army. Moscow has come under fire from the international community for the high number of civilian casualties during its airstrikes. However, Russia's intervention turned the tide in war in favor of Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The western allies

A US-led coalition of more than 50 countries, including Germany, began targeting IS and other terrorist targets with airstrikes in late 2014. The anti-IS coalition has dealt major setbacks to the militant group. The US has more than a thousand special forces in the country backing the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The rebels

The Free Syrian Army grew out of protests against the Assad regime that eventually turned violent. Along with other non-jihadist rebel groups, it seeks the ouster of President Assad and democratic elections. After suffering a number of defeats, many of its members defected to hardline militant groups. It garnered some support from the US and Turkey, but its strength has been greatly diminished.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The resistance

Fighting between Syrian Kurds and Islamists has become its own conflict. The US-led coalition against the "Islamic State" has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. The Kurdish YPG militia is the main component of the SDF. The Kurds have had a tacit understanding with Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The new jihadists

"Islamic State" (IS) took advantage of regional chaos to capture vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Seeking to establish its own "caliphate," IS has become infamous for its fundamentalist brand of Islam and its mass atrocities. IS is facing defeat in both countries after the US and Russia led separate military campaigns against the militant group.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The old jihadists

IS is not the only terrorist group that has ravaged Syria. A number of jihadist militant groups are fighting in the conflict, warring against various rebel factions and the Assad regime. One of the main jihadist factions is Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which controls most of Idlib province and has ties with al-Qaeda.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The Persian shadow

Iran has supported Syria, its only Arab ally, for decades. Eager to maintain its ally, Tehran has provided Damascus with strategic assistance, military training and ground troops when the conflict emerged in 2011. The Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah also supports the Assad regime, fighting alongside Iranian forces and paramilitary groups in the country.

Author: Elizabeth Schumacher, Alexander Pearson

Israel and Turkey welcome strikes

Other regional actors involved in the Syria conflict expressed approval for the US, UK and French strikes.

The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which has opposed the Assad regime, described the joint airstrikes as an "appropriate response to the chemical attack" in Douma.

"We welcome this operation which has eased humanity's conscience in the face of the attack in Douma, largely suspected to have been carried out by the regime," a statement from the Foreign Ministry said, adding that Assad "has a proven track record of crimes against humanity and war crimes."

Israeli officials also applauded the US-led strikes, stating that they send an "important signal" to Iran, Syria and the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

"The use of chemical weapons crosses a red line that humanity can no longer tolerate," Yoav Gallant, a retired Israeli general and member of the government's political–security cabinet, wrote on Twitter.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, praised the Syrian air defense and warned that US military action would prove fruitless.

"The war that America is waging against Syria, against peoples of the region and resistance and liberation movements will not realize its goals," the organization that supports the Assad government said in a statement.

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Stoltenberg: All NATO allies back Syria airstrikes

International organizations and alliances mixed

The US, the UK and France are all members of the NATO military alliance.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg voiced strong support for the three nations' joint airstrikes in a statement early on Saturday.

The strikes "will reduce the regime's ability to further attack the people of Syria with chemical weapons," his statement read, adding that the use of such weapons "calls for a collective and effective response by the international community."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he had been following the reports of airstrikes closely. He delayed a planned trip to Saudi Arabia in their aftermath and called for restraint in a statement.

"I urge all member states to show restraint in these dangerous circumstances and to avoid any acts that could escalate the situation and worsen the suffering of the Syrian people," the UN head said.

He added that nations must "act consistently with the Charter of the United Nations and with international law in general," and particularly on issues of peace and security.

Guterres has called for the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria to be investigated.

Additionally, international human rights organization Amnesty International said that the British, French and American airstrikes should "minimize harm to civilians." It also called directly on the US to take in refugees who have fled the violence in Syria.

"The Trump administration must not turn its back on the suffering of men, women, and children by continuing to ban refugees from entering the United States."